Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall, right, reacts to a play against the Colorado Rapids.

Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall, right, reacts to a play against the Colorado Rapids.

Photo: Bart Young, Getty

Dynamo goalie Hall motivated to improve

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While his two backups got extra reps stopping shots after practice Tuesday, Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall was on another side of the field, honing his footwork.

Entering his second season as a starter, Hall is eager to build on his 2011 All-Star campaign and work as hard as any of his teammates.

Hall knows being a goalkeeper in Major League Soccer is about more than stopping shots. With that in mind, the 6-4, 205-pounder is becoming more of a vocal presence for the defense while continuing to improve his footwork on goal kicks, trapping balls and clearing the ball with precise passes.

No comfort zone

"I feel confident in what I can do, but it's never a comfortable thing," Hall said. "The goalkeepers are too good behind me to really be comfortable. I know I have to keep working and be a better goalkeeper.

"If I'm not improving, then they are, and they are going to catch up. I have to constantly work and fight for my spot."

Hall has limited opponents to one goal over five preseason games.

Despite a rough patch through May, Hall was impressive during his first season. He posted six shutouts and limited opponents to 1.22 goals per game in the regular season. He was stingier in the postseason, allowing only two goals in four games. Through it all, he led MLS in minutes by playing every second of every game.

Hall maintained the excellence Dynamo fans grew to expect from the retired Pat Onstad, who led the team to two MLS Cup titles and is considered one of the top players in franchise history.

"Every emotion I could feel I did feel throughout the year," Hall said. "I just learned from those emotions. I want to be a better communicator and a bigger presence by making clear decisions early."

Dynamo goalkeepers coach Tim Hanley, who has produced multiple MLS Goalkeepers of the Year, wants Hall to keep improving his footwork.

"It's hard to be a goalkeeper and then be required to be a little bit of a soccer player," Hanley said. "It's hard for a real big fella to be a soccer player, but we're working on it."

Lungs as vital as legs

Vocal leadership is another important part of the job Hall wants to improve.

He's a key voice for one of the top defenses in MLS. It's up to Hall to help position the backline and alert those players to danger behind them.

"Being in the right formation, the right shape, the goalkeeper is where it starts," Hanley said. "The goalkeeper is really, really important to have cohesiveness. I hear Tally a little bit more right now. And now it's a matter of what he's saying and the guys understanding him."